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Original poster

Anyone else no longer testing WITHOUT symptoms?

223 replies

Throwawayy · 26/12/2021 10:42

I know I'll get the typical "so selfish how COULD you" type posts but is anyone else no longer testing when they have no symptoms?

I've had PCRs a few times with colds and things this year and have done LFTs too. I've ran out though now and I don't intend on getting more right now and will go for a PCR if I have symptoms.

If someone I was meeting asked, I'd do one. But other than that I feel like no longer testing when I feel fine.

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 26/12/2021 14:30

@nordica

No one says they are foolproof or that a negative result means you are definitely not infectious. The point is to find the positives you wouldn't otherwise know about - look at all the threads on here where people tested before meeting family at Christmas and got a positive result they didn't expect and so they didn't travel to see lots of family.
Of course, but people on this thread are acting as if doing LFTs means they couldn't possibly ever infect anyone which just isn't the case.
Potatodrivers · 26/12/2021 14:33

Its the testing that is causing the shortages of staff more than actual illness. It is inevitable that we are all going to catch it, and everybody who can and wants to be vaccinated currently is, so is it really worth this testing when it forces people who are well into isolation?

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 26/12/2021 14:34

My work ask us to do 4 a week… it was 7 at one point and also encourage us to do it before we see vulnerable people outside of work… but we are high risk of catching covid

JacquelineCarlyle · 26/12/2021 14:36

We're still testing before we meet up indoors with friends and will also test before going to large scale events etc (as advised).

It's not a big deal to do one and takes less than 5 minutes so we'll happily continue.

freckles20 · 26/12/2021 14:40

I'm under the impression that 1/3 of people with Covid have no symptoms. So yes I am testing regularly without symptoms as I would like to know if I am part of that 1/3 people.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 26/12/2021 14:41

There must be a divide between those who would get paid whilst they isolate and those who would not. I wouldn’t test so much if I knew 7 days off work wouldn’t be paid!

WhatsitWiggle · 26/12/2021 14:43

I do, but I need to for work and volunteering. And I have been ahead of meeting up with anyone.

YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp · 26/12/2021 14:48

For those saying they don’t have any vulnerable friends and family, do you never go to the supermarket , on public transport or in other crowded places where you could asymptomatically transmit Covid to other people?

No, I don’t. Apart from walking DDog I get online groceries, never use public transport or to crowded places and I don’t have any vulnerable family or friends (I haven’t seen my DCs for months and I don’t have any family other than one sibling who I have seen twice in 12 months)

I have no intention of doing regular LFTs because it would be a complete waste of time and resources. Should my life change then I will reassess.

CovidForChristmas · 26/12/2021 14:51

I do. Partly because school asked us to and partly because it’s free and quick and easy.
It’s actually how I discovered I needed a PCR, when my LFT was positive. I didn’t have any of the 3 main symptoms so wouldn’t have got one otherwise.
Although a positive result ruined my Christmas it quite possibly saved my elderly relatives from exposure over Christmas, so totally worth it.

Zandathepanda · 26/12/2021 14:51

How do you know who is vulnerable though? My Dd had an unknown virus (no symptoms other than a massive seizure and stopped breathing) at the beginning of the pandemic. She’s now brain damaged. She is vulnerable now but you wouldn’t know it to look at her.

RidingMyBike · 26/12/2021 14:54

I test twice a week and have done since April. Work has asked me to (and I've switched jobs in that time and both employers asked for it - one workplace also had on-site lateral flow testing). I have a primary school aged kid so log the results to her school.

I adjust the days each week I actually do it so it's just before I'm working on site or just before I go to church (where more likely to encounter vulnerable/elderly).

Feelingoktoday · 26/12/2021 14:57

@Zandathepanda

How do you know who is vulnerable though? My Dd had an unknown virus (no symptoms other than a massive seizure and stopped breathing) at the beginning of the pandemic. She’s now brain damaged. She is vulnerable now but you wouldn’t know it to look at her.
I don’t know who is vulnerable. But I could have meningitis, chicken pox. or some other contagious disease and not know it. We don’t test for the flu yet flu can kill vulnerable people.

The sooner we understand that this isn’t going away and we have to eventually live with it the better.

Feelingoktoday · 26/12/2021 14:57

It’s all about protecting the NHS.

Starcup · 26/12/2021 14:58

@Katie517

Have never tested without symptoms aside from to travel, don’t intend to start now.
Same. Never tested unless I’ve had symptoms
ginsparkles · 26/12/2021 14:58

Testing twice a week to keep people at work and family safe. Tested this morning before visiting family

bloodywhitecat · 26/12/2021 15:06

Haven't left the house in a week but still testing every 48 hours.

Starcup · 26/12/2021 15:08

@Feelingoktoday

A scientist on radio 4 said a negative LFT is valid for 20 mins only. 20 mins later you could be positive and not know as you mix with your family.
This.
Uninterested · 26/12/2021 15:13

It’s a simple question to ask yourself; if you knew your were positive would you try and keep away from people or would you carry on as normal. If it’s the latter then there is no point doing lateral flows however if it the former then it’s really weird and childish not to do lfts.

It’s like buying something cheap from the man in the pub who everyone knows is on the rob but you pretend to yourself that it’s ok because you don’t know for sure that he is on the rob. It’s a pathetic weak middle ground where you are fooling yourself that it’s ok.

Our Xmas is shit because one of us is positive. I wish we were irresponsible enough not to bother testing but we just can’t. It’s doubly frustrating because it’s not made any of us that ill. It’s a thousand times more frustrating because I know other people aren’t bothering at all.

littlepeas · 26/12/2021 15:17

I have never tested asymptomatically unless asked (with the exception of daily tests when I knew we had it in the house).

lorca · 26/12/2021 15:17

It’s all about protecting the NHS - is it though? Why is it down to us to protect the NHS?
This gov (and previous) have spend decades stripping the NHS funding to the bone. They've cut back on staff, wages, resources. In the 20 or so months since this, why haven't they massively spent on the NHS?

Other than the huge White Elephants of the Nightingales, (£191Mill) and the stupidly expensive, world-beating NHS app (not fit for purpose - other than spreading fear and confusion) and the FREE clap on thursdays, NHS has had nothing more spent on it. WHY NOT?
Earlier this year, NHS workers were offered 1% pay rise. Angry

Why haven't they invested hugely into the NHS? Why haven't they tempted the lost NHS workers from all over the world back with a decent pay grade?

You know that Boris and his cronies in government won't be using it. They wil have high levels of Private Health care - and they are actively forcing people into paying Private fees - because they can't get NHS treatment. For anything, not just Covid.

How about we demand that they protect the NHS? And make sure there is a bed/facilities/staff and drugs for everyone that needs it?

It should not be down to us.

Starcup · 26/12/2021 15:18

@Uninterested

It’s a simple question to ask yourself; if you knew your were positive would you try and keep away from people or would you carry on as normal. If it’s the latter then there is no point doing lateral flows however if it the former then it’s really weird and childish not to do lfts.

It’s like buying something cheap from the man in the pub who everyone knows is on the rob but you pretend to yourself that it’s ok because you don’t know for sure that he is on the rob. It’s a pathetic weak middle ground where you are fooling yourself that it’s ok.

Our Xmas is shit because one of us is positive. I wish we were irresponsible enough not to bother testing but we just can’t. It’s doubly frustrating because it’s not made any of us that ill. It’s a thousand times more frustrating because I know other people aren’t bothering at all.

I guess it’s similar to how that whole are vaccinated against it feel towards those that aren’t…
Starcup · 26/12/2021 15:19

I guess it’s similar to how those that have been vaccinated against it feel towards those that aren’t…

Starcup · 26/12/2021 15:19

I mean 😂

Jessicabrassica · 26/12/2021 15:19

We test daily for work. I test using care home lfts if I want to see my dad. We had a party on Xmas eve and everyone tested before they came. In our social circle it's a no brainer. It's what you do before you see people but most of us work in health or education.
Both our kids had it asymptomatically and I'm quite paranoid about spreading it to more vulnerable people.

Feelingoktoday · 26/12/2021 15:22

@lorca

It’s all about protecting the NHS - is it though? Why is it down to us to protect the NHS? This gov (and previous) have spend decades stripping the NHS funding to the bone. They've cut back on staff, wages, resources. In the 20 or so months since this, why haven't they massively spent on the NHS? Other than the huge White Elephants of the Nightingales, (£191Mill) and the stupidly expensive, world-beating NHS app (not fit for purpose - other than spreading fear and confusion) and the FREE clap on thursdays, NHS has had nothing more spent on it. WHY NOT? Earlier this year, NHS workers were offered 1% pay rise. Angry

Why haven't they invested hugely into the NHS? Why haven't they tempted the lost NHS workers from all over the world back with a decent pay grade?

You know that Boris and his cronies in government won't be using it. They wil have high levels of Private Health care - and they are actively forcing people into paying Private fees - because they can't get NHS treatment. For anything, not just Covid.

How about we demand that they protect the NHS? And make sure there is a bed/facilities/staff and drugs for everyone that needs it?

It should not be down to us.

Exactly this. We are doing this to protect the NHS because it isn’t fit for purpose. But no amount of funding will help as we expand our definition of “illness”. The correct Funding is unlimited and we can’t afford that. I would like a proper debate by the govt as to what the public is prepared to fund the nhs for.